Alina String Ensemble is a musical keyboard application for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch that simulates the Solina String Ensemble. The sound is in reference to Solina String Ensemble (Serial number “SERIES 22, No.0093158”) manufactured by N.V. EMINENT BODEGRAVEN HOLLAND in the 70’s. You are sure to be surprised at the real sound generated from this App.

Strng is a string synthesiser inspired by the karplus alghorithm. The physical modelling starts with a short burst of noise that then guided by a tuned delay buffer and string tension filter, generates plucked string like sounds. No samples are used. Strng is 16 voice polyphonic and can be controlled with an in app 25 key chromatic keyboard or connect prefered midi controller through USB or Wifi. To further shape the sound two post effects are available, a ping-pong stereo delay and two channel resonant filter controlled by two LFOs.

String machines has been the poor cousin to the proper synthesizers since the late 70s when poly synthesizers emerged. Thirty years later and thousands of softsynths later the charm of having a one-trick pony instrument with alot of character start to make sense again.
Probably the most sought after string machines and also one of the first is probably the Solina by Eminent/ARP. Eminent was the company inventing the ensemble chorus to start with.
ZooTooK has now released a Reaktor ensemble named String Machine MkII inspired by the Solina string machine. The appearance is of the Mk4 but the sound is more similar to Mk1 or 2. To be able to reproduce the raspy wave shaped tones of the divide down oscillators at the highest octave the sample rate is set to 176kHz. As a consequence using the effect both pedals in stereo mode makes this ensemble a real CPU hog. So if you are strapped of horse powers use only one pedal in mono mode.
To imitate the organic vintage sound the Analog Legacy algorithms were used.

Waldorf has announced the release of Streichfett, a colourful string synthesizer desktop module.

Streichfett combines the best of the previously extinct species of String Synthesizers of the 70s and early 80s. Its dual sound engine features a fully polyphonic strings section and an eight voice solo section, which is essential for recreating how adult movies sounded thirty years ago.

The Ensemble Effect handles lubrication of the String Section, while the Effects section adds adjustable Phaser and Reverb. Additionally, the Animate Effect can be used to modulate the strings registration, allowing spectacular sound morphs.

Streichfett is available for purchase for SRP 279 EUR (including tax).

Karplus–Strong string synthesis is a method of physical modelling synthesis that loops a short waveform through a filtered delay line to simulate the sound of a hammered or plucked string or some types of percussion. Although this technique can be viewed as subtractive synthesis based on a feedback loop similar to that of acomb filter for z-transform analysis, it can also be viewed as the simplest of a class of wavetable-modification algorithms now known as digital waveguide synthesis, as the delay line acts to store one period of the signal.

Alexander Strong invented the algorithm, and Kevin Karplus did the first analysis of how it worked. Together they developed software and hardware implementations of the algorithm, including a custom VLSI chip. They named the algorithm “Digitar” synthesis, as an abbreviation for “digital guitar”.

Cluster Sound has announced Multiman, a free Ableton Live library featuring the sounds of the Multiman-S string synthesizer.

Released in the 1977 by the Italian Crumar, the Multiman-S (called Orchestrator in the USA) is a fully polyphonic orchestral string synthesizer. Used by artists like Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk, this vintage analog machine appears both in ‘70s rock songs and old school electronic tracks.

Multiman is a Live Pack is based on 5 multi-sample recordings obtained by sampling the five preset sounds: Brass, Piano, Clavichord, Cello and Violin. Multiman delivers 25 Live Presets each of which consists of 61 perfecly looped samples (each note of the 5-octave keyboard).

Multiman features

140 MB conent, 24-bits/44.1kHz.

6 multi-sample recordings (332 samples).

One sample per note (5 octaves).

Perfect loop-points (no crossfading).

25 Live Presets.

Sampler/Simpler compatible.

The sound pack is a free download at Cluster Sound. Requires Ableton Live 9.

The Nabla is a VST™2.4 software instrument for Microsoft Windows® simulating the KORG Delta DL-50 Strings Synthesizer from 1979. Is is written in native C++ code for high performance and low CPU consumption. The main features are:

On the track “nabla” [above], the Nabla is the only audio source (plus some delay, reverb and slight compression).
Also highly recommended: Vale de Lágrimas and Kilik where crisch’r uses the Nabla extensively!

Waldorf has announced Streichfett, a new hardware synth that combines the best of the now extinct species of String Synthesizers of the 70s and early 80s. Its dual sound engine features a fully polyphonic strings section and a monophonic solo section, which is essential for recreating how adult movies sounded thirty years ago(!). The Ensemble Effect handles lubrication of the String Section, while the Effects section adds adjustable Phaser or Reverb. Alternatively, the Effect section can be used to animate the strings registration, allowing spectacular sound morphs.

The Solo Section offset presets named Bass, E-Piano or Clavi, and just like in your typical string machine, the sound has little to do with that name. Instead, these are shimmering and slightly percussive sounds that blend well with the string section.

Although the User Interface is simple and easy to comprehend, it controls a rather complex sound engine which is capable to delivers rich and creamy pads unlike any other instrument.

Twelve patches can be stored and selected in the Memory section, USB and MIDI are of course on board.